Safety attachment for tanks



' June 12, 1928,

- J. COHN SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR TANKS Original Filed July 26, 1924 3 Jac05 C067;

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, ATTORNEY na ed June 12,1928. v

UNITED STA TES PATENT oF I-CEQ .mcon come, on mew Yonx, N. Y., assrenon, m: MESNE assrenmnnrs, 'ro minwnsr s'rnnn mnsorrnx co., me, on NEW YORK, N. Y., a conrona'rron on NEW YORK.

SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR'TAN KS.

:1 am in. 1,570,401, dated January 1'9, 1926, Serial in. 728,386, filed July 26,1924. Application in: reilaue filed August 5, 1927. Serial No. 210,968.

The present invention relates to improve ments in safety attachments for tanks and has for an object to provide for the'venting of the excessive accumulated pressure ,in i I such tanks as gasoline tank s.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact and inexpensive de. vice readily attachable to gasoline and other tanks, which maybe set to relieve accumulated pressure beyond a predetermined degree therein and which device will be readily accessible from the exterior of the tank for the purpose of making adjustments, re-' pairs and replacement of parts.

Qne of the essential features of the'invention resides in the provision of an automatically acting relief valve for the high pressure gases, and it is an object of the invenwhereby said guiding means and the valve may thewall of the tank or container.

.It is also an additional object of the invention to provide construction having means for limitin the insertion of a fuel supply nozzle t erethrough and for venting the displaced air from the interior of the tank around the supply nozzle.

A further object of the invention lies in providing "at attachment for 'tanks of this character in which be high'and in which any conflagration will be prevented from spreading to the contents of the tank.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully deticularlypointed out in the claims appended hereto. 1

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts through the several views,

portion of a tank and an improved safety attachment constructed according to the Figure 3 1s a perspective view of the valve;

tion to provide supporting and guidingmeans for this valve together with means.

be handled as a unit and appliei to or. detached from a filling bushing attached to a filling bushingof novel.

the margin of "safety will scribed hereinafter, and will be more par-' i re 4 is a similar view' of the cap show-- Fig. 1.' eferring more particularly to the drawlngs, 5 designates the tank wall having the openin about which extends the filling neck 6, whic "is externally threaded.

ment forms a unit supported from the bushin composed in part of an intermediate s u stantially horizontal ring 30 adapted to lie over the upper end of the filling neck 6. A depending flan e or rim from therin is internally threaded to cooperate wit the threadsiupon the filling neck in order that the bushing may-be secured tightly in place and a. washer 32 is preferably interposed between the ring 30 and the upper "edge of the filling neck to avoid the escape of fumes and gases from the tank except under the control of the relief valve, as here inafter described. The ring vides convenient attachment whereby the flange 10 may be screwed' and unscrewed from the, neck and to this end, said ring is referably made with straight faces, as for mstance of the hexagonal shape shown in Accordingto the invention the attach 30' also pro- Fig. 2, to receive a wrench. The inner edge of the ring 31 carries a skirt or inside 'boss 7, which is annular inform and which is spaced inwardly from the flange 10, said s irt depending down into the neck 6 and adapted to receive the safety cylinder which the safety cylinder into the tank withoutneck b g or without requiring that the cy' der, Figure 1 is a vertical section through a having to squeeze it through the fillin which is essentially of-a relatively delicate nature be injured by striking it against" any of therig'id parts. p

The bushing further comprises the upstanding collar 11, which rises approximately in line with the filling neck, and is there.- fore, of greater diameter than the skirt 7, and is connected with said skirt by the annular shoulder 11'. External threads 13 are provided upon the outer portion of-the collarll'and the inner surfaceof the flange 12. of the cap 14, which may be readily disengaged by rotary movement whenever the K tank'is to be filled. The cap 14 is adapted to compress a gasket 34 against the upper end of the collar 11 to avoid the escape of the gases and fumes about the threads 13.

The upper surface of the cap 14 is disclosedto advantage in Fig. 4, showing that in such upper sur ace is provided an inverted frusto-conical valve seat 15 of considerable depth and area, to accommodate the mutual ground surface 19 of the valve 35, which is of the disc type, and of an extensive area within, in order that the effect of the accumulated pressure may be efliciently felt in the valve. The valve is further provided with" a vent opening 22 to permit breathing of the tank and a post 18 extending downwardly from the center of the valve disc is adapted to enter the central perforation 36 in the cap 14, the cap being enlarged as indicated at 37 in Fig. 1, in order to reinforce the material at this oint andto provide an abutment against w ich the upper endof the coil spring 21 operates. The

coil spring is wound in a suitable number of convolutions about the valve post 18 and is secured at its lower end to the valve post,

so that the function of this spring is to urge the valve to a closed position shown in Fig.

1. The depressed surface 37 of the cap 14 alt oug h t immediately adjacent the lower part of the valve seat and spaced slightly therebelow is formed with a number of openings 16 to ermit the pressure within the tank to ascend into contact with the lower surface of the valve 35 as shown in Fig. 1. A chamber 38 is shown to exist between the lower surface of the valve and the upper surface of the de ressed art 37' of the valve cap, so that l fe pressure is led into the chamber 38 at spaced points where the perforations 16 are located, nevertheless the effect of the tends into the tank and any gases and fumes accumulating must pass through the formainous and reticulated walls of the cylinder. Once within the cylinder these gases ascend freely into the interior of the bushing where the gases are tra pod, and it will be obvious that because of te length of the skirt 7 and. of the collar 11 a chamber of substantial depth is provided for holding gases of considerable mass and volume under a relatively great head. Of course, the operation of this head is regulated by the spring 21, but I the gases will be trapped within the large chamber in the bushing, as this chamber is higher than the tank and the gases will not escape back to the. tank, and should these gases become ignited for an reason, the conagrat-ion will be prevente back to the contents of the tank,'beca-use of the foraminous and reticulated safety cylinder. .As the pressure ascends above the pre determined degree,the valve 35 will be lift ed from its seat 15 and thepressure escapes to the atmosphere until the reduction is such as to permit the spring to again seat the valve. This action is entirely automatic, and

the device effectually prevents the accumula' tioiii of dangerous high pressures within'the tan When filling the tank, the cap 14 is removed by rotation or unscrewing and a nozzle is inserted directly into the bushing. To permit the tank to breathe during the filling operation grooves 23 are made longitudinally in the side walls of the skirt 7, which permits air to be forced out of the tank by the incoming liquid without interference from the filling nozzle.

These grooves or channels 23 provide spaced lugs or ribs 23 therebetween upon the upper ends of which at the shoulder 11 from spreading the fuel nozzle is supported. 'This nozzle indicated at N in .Fi 5 of the drawings, is generally of tapere through the bushing is thus limited by the lugs 23, insuring unobstructed outlet passages for the air displaced from the tank through the grooves or channels 23.

It will be noted, that the pressure relief valve and its guide means are carried by the cap 14 or other equivalent part for attachment to the filling bushingor detachment therefrom as a single unit. Thus, thevalve .guidemeans presents no obstruction to the form, and its insertion' lUU insertion of the fuel supply nozzle or the free fiow of the fuel therefrom into the foraminous cylinder 8.

After removalof the nozzle the cap 14 is replaced and as liquid is drawn ofl' front the tank air may enter through theperforation 22 in the valve to avoid the formation of a partial vacuum which would interfere with the drawing off of the contents.

The device len'dsit'self particularly to use with gasoline tanks where the liquid is extremely'volatile and inflammable. In the present instance I have shown a device which is applicable to the filling neck as now provided upon the gasoline tanks of automobiles. However, if desired, it is to be understood that the bushing 30 may be attached directly and permanently to the wall of the tank around the opening therein.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

Having'thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1..A safety attachment for tanks having a filling neck comprising a bushing secured 'to said filling neck, a foraminous cylinder carried by said bushing, a cap secured upon said bushing and havingv a valve seat with a depressed portion below the inner lower edge of the valve seatproviding a chamber, said chamber having communication through said depressed portion by a passage of relatively limited area, a valve having an edge adapted to close against said seat, and means for yieldably holding said valve against its seat.

2.-A safety attachment for tanks having filling necks comprising a bushing having removable attachment to said filling neck, a screen cylinder carried by said bushing and extending into the tank, a cap removably secured upon the outer portion of said bushing and having a conical valve seat upon its upper surface with a depressed portion just below the inner lower edge of the valve seat providing a chamber, said chamber having communication with the interior of the screen cylinder through said depressed portion by a passage of relatively limited area, a valve having a conical valve seat fitting against said conical valve seat of the cap, and resilient means for yieldably holding said valve against its seat.

3. A safety attachment for tanks comprising a bushing removably secured to the tank and having an upstanding collar housing an enlarged gas chamber in'communication with the interior of the tank, a skirt on said bushing, a screen cylinder carried by said skirt, a cap reinovably secured to said collar and having an extensive gently sloping conical seat, with a slightly depressed portion below the inner edge of the seat providing a chamber, said last-named chamber having communication with said enlarged gas chamber through said depressed portion by apassage of relatively limited area, a valve having a gently sloping ground surface adapted to rest on said seat, the lower' surface of said valve when closed adapted to be spaced from said depressed portion, and means carried by said cap for yieldably holding the valve seated.

4. In a. safety attachment for fuel supply 'tanks, a filling bushing adapted for attachment to the tank wall having a reduced portion providing an annular shoulder limiting the insertion of a fuel supply nozzle through said bushing, a foraminous cylinder surrounding said portion of the bushing and fixedly secured thereto, the inside of the bush-- ing being internally provided with spaced longitudinally extending channels permitting the free egress of displaced air from the tank through said foraminous cylinder.

5. In combination with a fuel supply tank having an opening surrounded by a neck, of a bushing having a rim to encircle said neck and be secured thereto, said bushing having a boss within said rim projecting into the neck, a perforated cylinder attached to said boss, said boss having axially extending ribs on its inside surface, a cap. to close the outer end of the bushing, and "an outwardly opening perforated valve mounted in said cap. 6. A safety attachment for a tank having a filling mechanism comprising a bushin having a depending flange to be screwe upon and surround said neck, the bushing also having a boss inside of said flange to project into the neck, said bushing hav ing an inside shoulder and ribs on its interior surface extending from said shoulder along the inside of said boss, a collar on the bushing to project away from said neck, a cap to be attached to said neck and carrying a valve seat, the cap having a depressed portion below the valve seat, said portion having openings'to establish communication with the inside of the bushing, and a Valve carried by the cap and movable into and out of engagement with said seat. i

7. In a safety attachment for fuel supply tanks, a filling bushing adapted for attachment to the tank wall consisting of a onepiece integral structure havinga reduced end portion and means adapted for attachment to the tankwall externally of the filling opening therein, a foraminous cylinder surrounding said end portion of the bushing and fi'x- Y edly secured thereto for insertion through the fillin opening, and said end portion of the bushing being internally provided with spaced axially extending ribs with the outer ends of which a fuel supply nozzle inserted through the bushing is adapted to be ention to the parts of the bushing wall between said ribs and thereby afiord unobstructed my invention, I have signed my name hereto.

JACOB ooHN. 

